March 2016 Expat News Archive

As the kingdom of Saudi Arabia opens up to increasing foreign investment, a Saudi princess is calling for more integration between expatriates and Saudi nationals.
According to Princess Reema bint Bandar al Saud, Western businesses and their employees should engage more with Saudis, as changes in the kingdom’s societal norms are critical...

For decades, London has been the refuge of choice for Russian oligarchs and their less than monstrously wealthy expat counterparts.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, extraordinarily financially secure Russian citizens have used London as a safe refuge both for themselves and their money, with the diaspora hotting up over the past...

Expats in Amsterdam can access all they need at the annual April 7 IamExpat Fair.
Voted the best of its type anywhere in the expat world, Amsterdam’s IamExat Fair is the answer to all expatriate needs in this increasingly attractive destination country. It’s the fourth outing for the event, which is now a much-appreciated feature on...

An annual survey aimed at collecting the opinions of US expats on tax-related subjects including FATCA and expat tax reform is expanding its brief for this year’s study.
The survey is being authored by a leading US expat tax specialist firm, perhaps arousing suspicions that the real intent is to garner yet more potential clients and...

Spain’s history of demolishing expat homes is repeating itself in Andalucía as another expat couple is denied retrospective planning permission after more than a decade.
Retired British couple Noel and Christine Payne began their Andalusian house purchase in 2001, after visiting the local town hall and verifying the necessary...

Investors in the Kuwait expat rental property market are feeling the cold hand of reality as workers leave or relocate to smaller apartments.
Some 14 per cent of apartments in residential developments popular with expat workers are now empty, according to a study by the Kuwait Real Estate Association. Translated into real numbers, the...

According to the UAE Federal National Council, the huge cost of Islamic weddings can be avoided by marrying expat women.
During a meeting between members of the National Council and Minister of Community Development Hessa Buhumaid, concerns were raised about the soaring costs of traditional Arab weddings, blaming the expensive...

Dubai expat parents are growing concerned about the lack of information on September's school year starting dates.
At this time of year, it’s usual for expat parents to be advised by their children’s schools as to their September re-opening dates following the long Spring Break holidays. Some parents are finding it difficult to decide...

Costs to expats of passport renewals are to increase by inflation, but UK residents will see much higher charges.
Taking British expats in France as an example, renewals will now be £105.86 with the price including secure delivery by courier, an increase of a little under three per cent over the previous cost of £102.86. Despite the...

Brexit questions on the British Embassy in Paris’s dedicated Facebook page came thick and fast last Monday from Britons less than happy about the recent negotiators’ agreement.
Many British expats in France are still confused about their status, with some worried the recent signed agreement may not be ratified and others describing it...

Research is backing up the well-known fact that life overseas is happier than in the home country for an impressive number of expats.
Given that the majority of non-work related expatriations are the result of unhappiness caused by unwelcome changes in the birth country lifestyle, it’s no surprise that just under half of respondents to a...

French lawmakers are working to ensure President Macron brings up the subject of ‘accidental Americans’ during his April meeting with Trump.
French politicians sympathetic with the plight of ‘accidental Americans’ are hoping against hope they can persuade their president to raise the matter during his visit to Washington next...

Expat families relocating back to the UK fear they’ve lost all their household and personal belongings after a container ship collision.
Following a cargo ship crash just outside a Pakistan cargo terminal during which some 20 containers fell overboard, 10 expat families returning from the UAE to the UK now fear their personal belongings...

Kuwait’s financial and economic affairs panel linked to the National Assembly is reported as being in favour of a new law taxing expat remittances to foreign bank accounts.
Committee chairman MP Salah Khorshid told the media a vote on the issue is being delayed until a future meeting following an agreement by vote on one of four...

Broken Britain is one reason why UK nationals are rushing to move to Europe before Brexit officially kicks in.
It seems the EU referendum has sparked an increasing exodus of angry and disappointed Britons looking to create a better lifestyle for themselves and their families. Some are setting up new businesses, others have successfully...

Rentals on expat buy to let properties are now stagnating in a number of formerly profitable areas.
It seems the slowdown in rental increases across the UK is continuing into 2018 after seeing an average rent rise of 1.1 per cent across the board last year.
London property rentals rose by just 0.1 per cent in 2017, with the largest...

Responding to calls by affected groups and lawmakers over the inability of many expats to pay the increased charge, one Health Committee member is recommending postponement of the extra fees.
Kuwaiti MP and member of the National Assembly’s Health Committee Khalid al Otaibi agrees in principal with the increases but is concerned that a...

Shanghai’s expat community is known for its entrepreneurial spirit, with necessity often the mother of invention and occasionally resulting in a successful business idea.
One young American expat arrived in the city some seven years ago, settling in a large apartment and building his new life in a very unfamiliar country. Just over a...

Trump’s brainchild tax reform, now known as the Apple tax, was brought in to force major offshore corporations to relocate their huge piles of cash back onshore but is now threatening American expat SMEs with bankruptcy.
Those at risk own 10 per cent or more of an offshore company or pay themselves via a company for tax purposes....

For the mega-rich looking for a luxury home, New York, London and Tokyo have the best choice.
For those with millions or even trillions stashed offshore, the world’s their oyster, with the pearls as regards luxury properties found in Tokyo, London and New York City. As well as boasting premier luxury developments, the attractions,...

As the cost of private medical care soars in the Western world, a number of countries are deliberately touting their medical tourism facilities.
Malaysia, Thailand, Mexico, Costa Rica and Columbia are all favourites, especially for non-essentials such as cosmetic surgery and dentistry as well as non-urgent procedures for...

Kuwait aims to replace all expats in public sector jobs with Kuwaiti nationals within the next five years.
MP Khalil al Saleh, head of the National Assembly’s committee overseeing the drive to get rid of expat workers, is determined to stick to the government’s plan to complete the process by 2023. According to al Saleh, some 800,000...

In an attempt to protect Abu Dhabi citizens from the effects of fake news, a dozen young residents have been chosen to form a Youth Media Council.
The strategy, announced by the National Media Council, is intended to develop the emirate’s media sector as well as protecting against fake news on a variety of online media platforms, with...

The threat that ports, trains and ferries will grind to a halt after 31 March 2019 is causing fears of business losses amongst UK expats in Europe.
Although the recent talks have given rise to optimism over a soft Brexit, Europe-based expat business owners are fully aware that time is running out with no firm conclusions as regards border...

It may come as a surprise to affected British expats that Canadian expats are being caught in the same disenfranchisement trap as their counterparts from the UK, but after just five, not 15 years!
The Canadian law which states expatriate citizens are disallowed from voting after an absence of five years was first enacted in 1993, but was...

Citizens of the Republic of Ireland living and working overseas, are being urged to return to the Emerald Isle in order to vote in the abortion referendum.
The Home to Vote campaign is stepping up its call to the Irish diaspora in the UK, USA, Canada and Europe to come back to the home country to vote in May’s historic abortion...

If you’re a multimillionaire, you can live where you please but, for the Indian mega-rich, the grass is definitely greener overseas than in the home country.
Over the past four years, almost 23,000 millionaires have deserted India for fresh fields and overseas pastures new, according to research co-ordinated by an internationally famous...

According to British lawmakers in favour of the private members’ bill, long-stay UK expats are now the ‘great disenfranchised’.
Expats from any world country except the UK who’ve settled down elsewhere on the planet bring with them the right to vote in elections and referendums back home, and the majority still have family and...

For the second year running, the Netherlands is the world’s sixth-happiest countries for expats.
Finland hit the number one spot, with Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland following, with the Netherlands’ happiness quotient impressive for a small European country. At the least, its winter weather doesn’t create freezing cold and...

Over 2,000 Dubai residents joined in the ‘From UAE With Love’ initiative taking place over last weekend.
The initiative was the brainchild of Dubai’s Ministry of Human Resources, aimed at giving boxes full of toys as well as letters of encouragement to underprivileged children in Syria and neighbouring countries. Over 2,000 expats...

The sudden enforcement of a new Kuwaiti work visa law has left hundreds of expat engineers in a state of panic.
The new law, brought in by Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower, has hit hard on expat engineers in the process of renewing their work permits, as it’s now mandatory to present a no-objection certificate. The...

The British expat community in Russia is fearing reprisals following increasing tensions between the two countries.
The viral news of the Salisbury nerve agent poisoning of a Russian defector and his daughter caused alarm amongst British expatriates in Moscow, but Theresa May’s reaction to the tragedy has turned alarm to fear. A terse...

An update in the fate of the Briton who organised a pornographic pool party in Cambodia saw him apologise to the Cambodian people during his court hearing.
Daniel Jones is now facing a year in a Cambodian prison for his part in distributing what’s been described as a pornographic advertisement for a pool party being held in a Siem Reap...

The trickle of EU expats leaving the UK is expected to become a flood during 2018.
Ever since the Brexit referendum result was announced, EU member state citizens living and working in the UK have quietly been preparing to leave, either for their home countries or to start again as expats in an unknown land. As the negotiations drag on,...

Expats pinning their financial hopes on digital currencies can take some encouragement from China and Russia’s begrudging acceptance of the online money.
Expatriates eager to invest in cryptocurrencies in spite of their unregulated volatility may have been offered some slight reassurance by Russia and China’s take on the wildly...

US expats who were hoping a miracle as part of the Trump tax reform would ease FATCA’s pressure on their lives are now deeply disappointed.
US citizens living and working overseas were hoping against hope that continuing calls by US expat organisations representing both sides of the political divide might result in an easing of the...

Recent reports suggest British would-be expats are continuing to buy Spanish properties, but the actual number of UK citizens in the country is in sharp decline.
Official figures from the last quarter of 2017 show more British buyers are busily buying Spanish homes than are investors from other world countries, but the total number of...

British expats in Spain and France are to get authentic curry kits from a new Derbyshire start-up.
If there’s one thing that Brits living in Spain and France miss, it’s the authentic Indian curries served up all over the UK in takeaways and restaurants owned by equally authentic curry chefs. However, relief is now at hand thanks to an...

Expats living in Beijing’s student accommodation district were confused as police ordered bans on more than 10 expats in any one restaurant at any time.
Wudaoku district is a popular location for expats a well as for students as it’s well supplied with restaurants serving Chinese food at affordable prices and is located conveniently...

Stray dogs and feral cats as well as household pets are being sterilised and neutered as part of a massive effort by Chapala expats and Mexican residents to reduce the numbers of unwanted pets on the streets.
One unwelcome and unexpected aspect of expat life in many favourite destinations is the high number of homeless dogs and cats...

Former British businessman in Qatar Jonathan Nash is now being aided by legal charity Detained in Dubai after he was sentenced to 37 years in prison for a bounced cheque.
Detained in Dubai hit the headlines at the beginning of this year for its successes in fighting on behalf of a number of expats who’ d fallen foul of the UAE’s...

January’s ban on the popular game of darts being played in Pattaya has now been extended to cover the entire country.
Expats enjoying a night out along with a game of darts in several of Pattaya’s bars-cum-pubs were horrified last month when local police stormed in and confiscated the dart boards. The reason given was that a permit...

The result of last week’s House of Commons parliamentary debate on EU citizenship along with news of a European parliament draft resolution could be a lifeline for UK expats in Europe.
Last week, the British House of Commons passed a motion urging the government to ensure Britons could keep their EU citizenship post-Brexit. The...

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health has released a directive banning expats with certain non-contagious illnesses from becoming permanent residents.
The ban follows another directive listing 22 sicknesses and applies to expats with high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and several other non-contagious illnesses as yet undeclared. The original...

The six-month old trend of declining rental charges is being attributed to an expat exodus of workers’ families since the dependent levy was introduced.
Although the elites of the Saudi expat community aren’t leaving as yet, those on less than generous salaries are being forced to send their families home due to the...

Following a call from Plaid Cymru, Britain’s Welsh nationalist party, a parliamentary debate on EU citizenship for UK expats is taking place.
The minority political party believes the UK’s Brexit negotiators should include the proposal in future talks, thus allowing Britons living in EU member states to have at least a chance of...

Nine expat women based in Spain over the past 80 years are being honoured by local Spanish media
March 8 is International Women’s Day, during which exceptional women and their achievements are celebrated across the world. This year’s celebration has an extra edge, in that it’s also a call for the implementation of gender parity in...

Controversial Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary is threatening to ground all his planes after Brexit kicks in to force the UK to think again about leaving the EU.
Committed Remain supporter O’Leary made the announcement last Tuesday, saying he’s considering the move in order to show referendum voters they’ve been lied to as regards the...

Whether would-be expats like it or not, learning the local language is essential to making your lifestyle change successful and stress-free.
Moving overseas is a massive challenge to the majority of would-be expats yearning for fresh fields and pastures new, with tackling the basics and preparing yourself for inevitable changes is the way...

A Scots widow living in Portugal has been let off with a fine after burying her late husband in their garden.
Edinburgh-born Louise Khan and her husband Alyn had emigrated to Portugal from Fife some four years ago, hoping to enjoy a long and happy retirement in the warm Portuguese sunshine. Sadly, Alyn was diagnosed with an inoperable...

Recent studies have revealed more than 70 per cent of failed assignments are due to trailing spouses’ inability to adjust to their new lives.
The majority of women moving overseas aren’t expatriating to further their own careers – they’re following their husbands or partners to unfamiliar lands due to an overseas position being...

If you’re looking to relocate to the Netherlands, you’ll need to know which areas have affordable housing.
With the Netherlands now hitting the headlines as a great destination for expat start-ups, the numbers of would-be expats checking out living and accommodation costs are likely to soar. Both house purchase and rental costs vary...

An American expatriate group protesting over USA lawmakers’ lack of interest in gun control made their voices heard in Zurich during Steve Bannon’s visit.
As if the visit by the ultra-right wing ex-White House chief strategist wasn’t controversial enough, the small but effective expat demonstration outside the venue for his speech...

Kuwait is considering creating some 17,000 private sector jobs exclusively for Kuwaiti nationals.
Meetings begun last month are progressing with the plan to create around 17,000 new private sector jobs aimed at Kuwaiti nationals. The Kuwaiti government is in conference with major trade unions to facilitate the replacement of expatriate...

One of the most important decisions expats need to make when choosing an overseas destination for retirement or a new job is the availability of quality medical care.
Many private hospitals overseas are now using rating systems, considered as the equivalent of the ‘star’ system for hotels. However, relying on ratings when deciding...

The lawyer working with British expats in their court battle to preserve their rights has raised over 67,000 euros via a crowdfunding campaign.
London-based lawyer Jolyon Maugham launched his crowdfunding campaign last Thursday, and was amazed when it reached its target of 60,000 euros by Sunday. The fund now stands at 67,000 euros and...

As obtaining residency in first-world countries is getting harder, second citizenship programmes are coming to the fore in the Arab States.
High-net worth UAE residents are increasingly turning to second passport applications as being granted long-stay visas in Western countries gets even tougher. Citizenship programmes are now being seen...

Dubai’s controversial plan to DNA test all its residents inclduing expats is being seen as an invasion of privacy likely to result in discrimination.
The idea of creating the largest DNA database in the world is being justified as a scheme aimed at identifying dangerous diseases before they take hold, but is causing widespread concern...

A damning report has revealed several Spanish public hospitals are working with a company charging triple the actual medical fees to non-Spanish patients.
A document shared with an English language expat-focused newspaper is claiming the International Care Patient Association is acting as an intermediary between non-Spanish patients and...

Putting aside the problems of getting residency for long-stay British expats in EU member states, it’s the continuing financial uncertainty that’s causing increasing concern.
It’s almost unbelievable that almost 20 months have passed by without any real clarification of the rights of both EU and UK expats, leaving just 16 months for...

Is the pension tax relief top-up scheme safe from being looted by future British Chancellors of the Exchequer?
If you’re saving into a pension scheme with the intention of retiring overseas you’ll need to keep a close eye on government rule changes. The government’s pension tax relief scheme is made up of the money the government...

If you’re dreaming of a retirement spent mostly on Thailand’s famous tropical beaches, the one you’ve picked might well be closed before you get there.
Thailand isn’t the only tourist and expat haven to be affected by beach closures and restrictions caused by careless divers, pollution and coral die-offs, but when it’s a beach as...

American expat business owners in Australia are about to get an unpleasant surprise courtesy of the controversial Trump tax reform bill.
The problem is the so-called ‘one off deemed repatriation tax’, levied at 15.5 per cent for internet giants such as Google and Apple, but also affecting any dual USA expat citizen operating a...

In a major climbdown, PM Theresa May has announced EU expats who arrive in the UK during the Brexit transition period will be able to apply for permanent residency.
The surprise announcement was slipped into a Home Office Brexit policy paper, and also states EU migrants who arrive post-March 2019 will now be granted a five-year temporary ...

The threat of increased taxation and even more changes in laws governing the non-domicile status is persuading mega-wealthy British residents it’s time to go.
Leading private wealth advisory firms are seeing an increasing number of high net worth individuals abandoning the UK for tax-friendlier destinations overseas. A January survey...

Official UK government figures show an increasing number of EU expats are leaving and far fewer are arriving.
New migration statistics are now giving credence to signs of a growing Brexodus as the balance between those arriving and those relocating to their home countries shifts. Office for National Statistics figures still show 90,000...

For adventurous expats looking for employment, China is the new, cool kid on the block but is also a hub for fake job scams aimed at expat professionals as well as language teachers.
China is becoming ever more popular for expats looking for well-paying jobs in a totally unfamiliar and fascinating environment, but more and more online...

British expats Olly and Jackie Bond are determined to renovate a derelict, historic German railway station, turning it into a tourism and entertainment centre for the small town it used to serve.
Formerly from Cornwall and now living in Camburg and working in Munich, Olly took the train to work every day, passing through the derelict...

As the numbers of Brits in Spain applying for Spanish nationality soars, Spaniards in the UK are given an Embassy helpdesk to address their queries about the effects of Brexit on their status within the UK.
The release of current figures by the Cervantes Institute has revealed an increase of 431 per cent in the numbers of Brits in Spain...

Expats in Marbella are taking legal action against a local glass and windows company after they’d lost thousands in uncompleted work.
The Marbella based Andalucia Glass and Steel is owned by Vincent Ware, and was at first popular with expats living on the Costa del Sol until contracted work was left unfinished or never started and...

Best known in the UK for its celebrity addicts, the London-based Priory Clinic is now open in Dubai’s prestigious Heathcare City.
With its nine clinics and hospital now covering England and Scotland, the Priory’s early days saw it become famous as the fashionable port of call for celebrities with addictions varying from alcohol, drugs...

A recent InterNations expat survey has shattered the Gulf States’ reputations as great places for expat professionals to further their careers and enjoy luxury lifestyles.
In the past, landing contracts in Saudi, the UAE, Kuwait and several other oil-rich emirates gave expats an opportunity to kick-start upward mobility in their careers,...

In a statement to the European Council, the EU’s head negotiator Michel Barnier has confirmed the need to immediately guarantee the rights of UK expats in Europe and EU expats in the UK. I
f believed, Barnier’s position on the rights of expats and several other Brexit issues could come as music to the ears of the millions of...

Many long-term UK expats in Spain have struggled with the decision whether or not to try for Spanish nationality, but now the reality of Brexit seems unstoppable it’s the only acceptable option for many.
British expatriates living and working in Spain are now faced with the ultimate decision – whether to wait and see whether...

After years of being placed in the top ten expat worker destinations, Australia’s star is fading fast due to the country’s excessively laid-back ambience.
The latest edition of HSBC Bank’s popular Expat Explorer survey relegated Australia to 11th place as a destination for expat professionals eager to further their careers as well...

In a surprising article published on the eve of Therese May’s invoking of Article 50, its author states her insistence of using EU expats in the UK as bargaining chips for UK expats in Europe is invalidated by an existing EU law.
The article’s author claims he published an open letter to the British PM at the beginning of this month,...

Tomorrow is the point of no return for the UK in Europe, as Theresa May activates Article 50 and effectively ends decades of being part of a Greater Europe.
Since the referendum result was announced last June, concerns about many aspects of the divorce from the EU have been raised, especially by those most affected by Brexit. Today, the...

Following last Saturday’s Unite for Europe anti-Brexit protest march in London, a UK expat living in Greece has started a Facebook page showing a letter she wrote to all EU member states’ officials setting out the facts about the UK’s support for Brexit.
Alison Cuff’s letter ‘tells it like it is’ as regards the untruths and...

UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has joined the fight to repeal Britain’s hated ‘frozen pensions’ policy by calling for an immediate parliamentary vote to repeal the ruling.
Corbyn has been a strong supporter of the campaign to end expat frozen pensions, and is now urging British lawmakers to vote to end the discriminatory...

Moving overseas is a stressful experience, whatever your reason for leaving the home country, but avoiding the headaches caused by obvious mistakes isn’t as hard as it may seem.
In the rush to make sure you, your family if applicable and even the dog arrive safely in your new country, it’s easy to put off or even forget essential...

Expats come in all shapes, sizes and ages, with millennials in Belgium the latest addition to the international expatriate community.
Data from a thinktank study for BNP Paribas has shown that almost all expat millenials living and working in this small European country are more than happy about their decisions to relocate. The study...

The British Ambassador to Portugal is visiting expat communities during the run-up to next Wednesday’s triggering of Article 50.
British Ambassador Kirsty Hayes has already met with members of expat communities in Albufeira, Portamao and Cascais and is hoping to visit Porto and Caldas da Rainha before PM Theresa May invokes Article 50...

Relocating overseas as a career move is always a stressful experience, but cultural issues can make it the worst choice ever.
Over the past four years, assignment failure rates have increased from 4.9 to 7.2 per cent, with the major reason an inability to cope with lifestyle adjustments due to cultural issues. Sometimes it’s the expat...

The romance and sheer beauty for which Paris is famous worldwide doesn’t quite make up for the stress of finding a suitable apartment.
Paris is a favourite for expats from across the world for so many reasons, but your dream can get very slightly tarnished once you’ve begun searching for an apartment. Expats choose the world’s most...

British expatriates living in the USA are devastated by yesterday’s terrorist attack in Westminster.
British expats across the USA reported shock and horror as the as–it-happens details of the fatal terrorist attack were broadcast on CNN and the BBC. The USA is no stranger to terror, but British citizens living across the pond were...

In spite of the looming effects of Brexit, the UK is still a popular destination for expat professionals from outside the European Union.
Although the number of EU nationals headingto the UK to further their careers may soon reverse itself as most are forced to pack up and leave post-Brexit, the country is expected to still be open to...

According to a report by a group of Spanish lawyers, the European Convention on Human Rights may give EU expats in the UK freedom to remain.
In an address to the EU parliament, legal experts from Spain said Brexit might result in EU citizens making use of existing human rights laws to gain the right to remain in the UK. Spanish professors...

Most retired expatriates take the huge step of moving overseas in order to live in a location which is more affordable, more relaxed, warmer and more fun than their home country.
After years of being stuck in one, however pleasant, place due to the demands of career and family, the freedom to emigrate gives the heady possibility of a...

For the fourth year running, Singapore is rated as the world’s most expensive location for expat professionals.
The latest league table showing expat costs of living across major world locations has confirmed Singapore as the most expensive city for expatriates.The Economist Intelligence Unit’s study sees the Southeast Asian city state...

For expats looking to work overseas, there’s a whole new culture developing, especially in Asia, in which the focus is on informal expat start-ups rather than corporate postings with all the trimmings.
Traditionally, becoming a working expat involved relocation to an overseas subsidiary of a multinational Western company, with fixed...

The personal qualities needed to become a successful expat may not be obvious at first, but a recent study stresses the importance of self-evaluation before making the decision to relocate.
Deciding to take an overseas assignment in order to earn more, improve future career prospects or simply to experience living and working in an...

After years of denial and restrictions on expat investment, the Saudi government is now considering allowing expat entrepreneurs to be their own sponsors.
Previously, participation in the sector had been confined to Saudi nationals and had resulted in commercial cover-ups costing the kingdom’s economy billions of riyals. The new rules,...

According to a recent survey, a majority of Dubai’s expatriate professionals decide to stay as long as possible in the emirate because they’ve fallen in love with its seductive lifestyle.
As well as attracting ever-increasing numbers of expat professionals over the years, Dubai is now the focus of expat decisions to stay even longer...

In this unique and hopefully brief period of American political history, US expats living and working overseas could be forgiven for thinking their democratic rights are valueless as no-one wants to know about their fears and feelings.
Moving overseas for work or retirement is no reason to simply abstain from exercising your rights and...

Finding affordable apartments within easy access to the Dubai metro system can be a problem for newly-arrived expatriate professionals.
Arriving in a totally unfamiliar city after securing the job of your dreams can be a nightmare for new expatriates, especially as regards finding a suitable and convenient place to live. It has to be said...

Around a million UK expats living in Spain were given a gleam of hope by the Spanish government’s announcement in favour of a Brexit deal including Brits’ rights to remain.
In an interview with the Times newspaper, leading Spanish negotiator for Brexit and EU Spanish secretary Jorge Toledo confirmed his country’s stance on the...

Just as most UK expats had managed to forget the zany side of their home country, the UAE British Embassy's social media pages are using a cartoon superheroine to advise that keeping passports in freezers is not the best idea.
The www,gov.uk/overseas webpage is a must-visit for expats bemoaning the good old days when Britishers were known...

As the chaos around the triggering of Article 50 deepens, British MPs are pleading with Theresa May to ease up on EU expats and give them the right to remain in the UK.
During the past few days, members of both the lower and upper houses in government have ganged up on the PM, hoping to persuade her to make a unilateral decision about the...

A new study, released at the same time as news of a fall in British enquiries on Spanish property, has revealed Brits are now reluctant to choose Spain as their retirement. destination.
For many would-be expats, Spain is no longer the favoured choice for a comfortable retirement due to fears over Brexit’s effects. According to a new...

Deciding how to organise expat banking needs in order to give easy access to cash held outside the new country of residence can be a trying aspect of planning for a new life abroad.
Offshore accounts are often the first option on the to-do list necessary for a smooth transfer from the home country to the chosen expat destination, whether...

Expatriate victims of a rogue packing and shipping company operating out of Dubai have been promised their belongings back by Dubai police.
Following the arrest of Lionel Davis, owner of Expat Relocations, expatriate families who fell victim to the rogue removal company have been reassured by police their household goods will be returned....

Expat professionals working in Kuwait might well be forgiven for having a hard time making sense out of the recent conflicting statements by various government representatives as regards their long-term futures in the emirate.
The latest report, issued by the Public Authority for Manpower, affirms serious attempts are being made to...

Australia’s welcoming reputation as an expat hub goes back decades, but most relocation-aimed websites concentrate on Sydney and the continent’s larger conurbations.
The British have traditionally favoured Australia as a retirement or relocation hub for the contrast between its balmy weather and superb outdoor lifestyle with the...

Expats living and working across Southeast Asia may or may not be fully aware of the ‘in your’ face’ corruption seen to be an inalienable part of life in the region, but those who are affected by it won’t be thrilled by the results of an authoritative new study.
The latest annual survey by Transparency International has named...

At first glance, China would seem to be the perfect place for Marks and Sparks, as the company’s affectionately known in the UK, but today’s announcement comes less than a year after the brand lunched its tenth store.
The surprising news may well come as a blow to the high number of British expats living and working in China’s huge...

Nursing is a specialisation always in demand, as qualified nursing professionals can work anywhere in the world they wish provided they’ve obtained the relevant certifications in their chosen country.
Mobility as a qualified, experienced nurse is normally far more straightforward than in many other professions, meaning the world is...

Once a popular hub for expat women professionals, Hong Kong is now being replaced by Taiwan due to its gruelling work hours and spiralling cost of living.
According to the recent InterNations poll aimed at female expat professionals, Hong Kong’s appeal as an expat hub has crashed from 12th to 29th place over the past year. After years...

A wave of resentment and anger swept across the UK’s EU expat community after MPs voted against the House of Lords’ amendment to May’s Brexit paper.
EU expats flooded social media with their fears and fury after hearing the House of Commons had rejected the Upper House’s amendment unilaterally guaranteeing their post-Brexit rights...

Of the 1.2 million British expats living and working in EU member states, just below half a million are originally from Wales.
Amongst the 1.2 million British citizens whose lives overseas have been put on hold by Brexit, the 470,000 from Wales may well have have more to be concerned about than the rest, due to the still-declining...

Expats living and working in Saudi Arabia mostly live in walled compounds where the kingdom’s strict regulations are eased, but what’s it like for families existing in a parallel society?
For decades, Saudi Arabia has been a popular destination for expat professionals working in the oil and gas industry as well as in other economic...

Kuwaiti medical professionals are rejecting as racism an MP’s call for increased heathcare charges for expats.
Last week, a recently elected female member of the Kuwaiti parliament called for new restrictions for expats aimed at forcing them to buy prescription medicines from private pharmacies rather then getting them direct from...

Anti-expat female MP Safaa al Hashem’s latest attack on foreigners working in Kuwait urges her parliament to ban them from using government clinics and hospitals.
Al Hashem, the only female MP in the Kuwaiti assembly, is becoming infamous amongst Kuwait’s expat community for her continued attacks on their position within the emirate....

Italy has traditionally been highly popular with British retirees wanting to combine spectacular scenery, great food and wine and relief from the UK’s miserable weather.
Expat property hunters have an amazing choice of location, whether it’s beachside, lakeside, in fertile valleys or rustic villages or even in the heart of ancient...

The Australian diaspora is one of the expat world’s most impressive, with at least a million Aussies living and working outside the home country at any given time.
Adventurous as Oz expats undoubtedly are, there’s still the human need to be with like-minded souls, thus creating enclaves of Australian nationals in diverse locations...

Managing money as a newly arrived expat in Singapore has its inevitable pitfalls, but it’s easy to find ways around just about every aspect of budget control.
Singapore is one of the world’s most popular expat hubs, and is also one of the most expensive as regards maintaining a comfortable lifestyle, whatever your salary level. The...

Although it’s popular with male expats as regards its employment opportunities, Malta is underwhelming a good number of expatriate female professionals.
The results of the recent InterNations expat survey awarded Malta 11th place in the countries listings, but the historic island is slower to tick the boxes for female expats. Although...

This week's 2017 budget is bad news for expats wishing to transfer their pension pots overseas via a Qualified Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme, better known as a QROPS.
Introduced, according to Chancellor Philip Hammond, as a deterrent to tax avoidance, the new rule will come into effect today, March 9 and is not, he said, being seen as...

Surveys by the GMC and BMA show huge numbers of EU medical professionals planning to leave the UK
Rising insecurity in the ranks of EU doctors caused by a lack of information about EU expats' post-Brexit rights has resulted in a survey showing 60 per cent of respondents are considering leaving the UK. A survey of EU doctors working in the...

Favourite UK retiree destination Portugal is in the EU’s sights for its lenient expat pension tax laws.
The EU’s war with retirement tax havens is now focused on Portugal’s generous expat tax laws, some of the most lenient in the entire European Union. The first shot fired across the country’s bows came from Swedish Finance...

Over the past year, UK expat investors have returned to the home country’s buy-to-let marketplace, with interest fuelled by easier mortgages and the falling pound.
Two factors are in play as regards the increasing popularity of British buy-to-let properties with expat investors. Firstly, previous problems with obtaining mortgages whilst...

Australia has been a favourite expat destination for many decades, especially for Brits, but getting used to its laidback lifestyle can be confusing.
Major draws attracting expats to Australia include its English language, its unique natural beauty, the plethora of outdoor activities and the thousands of miles of glorious beaches. The...

Quality of life is one of the most important aspects explored by would-be expats before life-changing decisions are made, but some countries are best avoided.
Annual surveys of expat hubs all over the world are a great way to ensure a happy, safe and remunerative relocation, but there are a number of countries which should be avoided like...

British national Janet Hayden now finds herself in the same position as hundreds of other UK expats who trusted local Spanish builders and authorities to tell the truth about land purchase.
Expatriate Janet Hayden had arrived in Spain in 2003 and was searching for an idyllic plot of land on which her home would be built. She was offered a...

Spokespersons for a coalition of 12 UK expat groups have accused the British government of misleading parliament over efforts to protect the post-Brexit rights of British nationals settled in EU countries.
A coalition of 12 campaign bodies representing UK expats across Europe is condemning the British government for lying about having...

According to the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, both expats and residents in the emirates will be ‘issued as routine' with five-year multi-entry business visas by Indian missions located in the UAE.
The announcement of the new visas was made by Indian ambassador Navdeep Singh Suri during a media discussion held at Dubai’s Indian...

Family members and friends are expressing their grief, shock and concern over the recent suicide of an American expat.
The woman’s name is being withheld for reasons of privacy, but her family and friends are urging expat residents in the emirate to share their opinions and knowledge of mental health matters in order to prevent other...

Australia’s Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is warning expats and tourists in Southeast Asia to be aware of expanding terrorism threats in the region.
ASIO director general Duncan Lewis believes Australian nationals as well as expats and tourists are especially at risk of falling victim to terrorist attacks in Indonesia, the...

For the more than 100,000 British nationals living in Germany, it’s time to consider applying for German citizenship.
The uncertainty of not knowing what the future holds once the UK leaves the European Union is driving an increasing number of Brit expats living in Germany to apply for German citizenship. Many others are counting the...

As the triggering of Article 50 draws nearer and hard information on the plight of EU citizens in the UK becomes even more difficult to obtain, one British media outlet is saying multi-year visas will be issued post-Brexit.
However tempting the prospect of multi-year visas for EU citizens working in the UK might be, the present-day fact...

In spite of Brexit and the sterling crash, the numbers of UK citizens opting to leave has remained the same for the past two years.
Immediate reactions to the Leave campaign’s Brexit referendum victory had been expected to result in increased numbers of Brits fleeing from the effects of leaving the EU. However, the exodus hasn’t...

Undeniably one of the most perfect expat hubs on the planet, the city state of Singapore is equipped with everything expatriates need to live their dream lives.
Some 25 per cent of Singapore’s total population of around 5.6 million hail from all over the world, attracted by job opportunities, high wages, a civilised, luxurious lifestyle...

Following a call by Ho Chi Minh’s administration urging residents and public servants to walk to work, expats living and working in Vietnam’s capital are saying they’d rather not take their life into their hands.
The plea, dreamed up by the crowded city’s administration, was aimed at reducing congestion on the roads leading to the...

Expats in Saudi commuting between Qassim province and the capital are more than happy with a new train service joining the two conurbations as it dramatically cuts travel times. Both expat and Saudi commuters are commenting positively about the recently introduced service as a welcome option to the long, trying journey by car.
The new...

An expat campaigner believes that, although Spanish politicians and administrators are on the side of British expats, British MPs are sticking to their ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitudes.
Co-founder of Brexpats in Spain Anne Hernandez has been on the road lobbying Spanish politicians all along the Costa del Sol coastline in order...

In spite of its reputation as a haven reserved for the wealthy, the cost of living in this famous city can simply depend on each individual expat’s chosen lifestyle.
Luxury cars, glamorous, brand-new, high-rise apartments, high-end dining and top private schools can all make a serious dent in even the biggest salaries or retirement...

After some £10 million was lost by unwary investors, the British government’s Insolvency Service has finally shut down several massive scams.
Hometrader, Newbury Venture Capital and Westminster Fine Wines all operated classic scams which offered alternative investments with supposed huge returns. Hometrader specialised in properties,...

As the demand amongst the wealthy in China for a traditional British education soars, Wycombe Abbey girls-only boarding school is opening a co-ed offshoot in Changzhou.
The famous school, in partnership with old Etonian William Vanberger’s Chinese-based company BE Education, will offer a traditionally-based curriculum in response to...

For many expats, life overseas wouldn’t be complete without a furry friend, but finding the dog of your dreams in your new location might not be as easy as in the home country.
Acquiring a canine companion once you’ve arrived in your chosen retirement destination ensures you’ll never feel alone and unwanted, however unfamiliar...

Expats living and working in the UAE admit to finding it almost impossible to get Emirati friends.
Although the British have a reputation for being unsociable, many expats living in the UAE who would like to find friends amongst the local community are being stymied by cultural differences. A recent survey agreed with perceived wisdom in...

British pensioners who’ve moved to other EU member states over the past ten years have seen currency rates shave 11 per cent off their income.
Fluctuating exchange rates since 2006 have reduced the actual value in euros of British pensions by 11 per cent, according to pension provider companies. Combined with a rise in the cost of...

One of the least considered aspects of any decision to emigrate is the chosen country’s language, but not being able to speak the local lingo can turn your dream into a nightmare.
For the modern-day expat, the entire world is now his or her oyster due to air travel and the ease of research via the internet. Deciding where to hang one’s...

As the Brexit debate rages on, an exodus of British expats at present living in Europe is being touted as the likely result.
Concern is growing in British expat communities across Europe, fuelled by an almost total lack of hard information about the consequences of Britain’s leaving the European Union. Speculation and rumours about the...

Following the Chancellor’s warning over an upcoming crackdown on buy to let rules, an offshore lender’s Jersey and Guernsey branches are reporting a huge increase in expat demands.
Skipton International is now introducing a streamlined buy to let mortgage application process in order to deal with the soaring demand from retired expats....

Several thousand expats living and working in Thailand’s southern provinces are worried about their personal security following an embarrassing gaffe by a software developer.
The data leak comprised an interactive map of the region with the exact locations, jobs, professions, nationalities, passport numbers and other personal...

The family of a retired firefighter in Edmonton, Canada, are crowdfunding in the hope of raising enough to get Bill Hughes home from hospital in Thailand.
At present, Bill is in a coma in a private Thai hospital, after being struck down by the mosquito-borne virus Japanese Encephalitis. It’s a rare virus which attacks the blood and is...

Following the lead of a number of USA-based banks, American brokerage firms are busily ridding themselves of their US expat clients.
Nowadays, American investors living overseas are steadily being cut off by USA-based financial services, leaving them at the mercy of greedy offshore bond retailers. Even worse, many are at risk of falling...

A picturesque Irish offshore island eager to increase its population is inviting Americans dismayed by the possibility of a President Trump to come and join the tiny community.
The island of Inishturk may only have 58 residents right now, but it makes up for its lack of humans by a plethora of natural beauties and charming waterside homes....

One in every three Barcelona-based expats who answered a questionnaire on their likes and dislikes have slammed the effect of mass tourism on the city’s environment.
Unlike the majority of such surveys, the 850 respondents were encouraged to give open-ended replies to the questions. Expats from 26 countries who’d lived in Barcelona for...

Once a favourite with expats looking to earn from their retirement nest eggs, buy-to-let mortgages for UK properties are facing a new crackdown.
In addition to the planned punitive increase in stamp duty due on buy-to-let properties and second homes, George Osborne is warning that a further crackdown is fast approaching due to fears of an...

Young, female and mobile are the buzz words for a new breed of British expat, according to a recent survey.
The recently-announced findings of a survey by a major British bank have identified a huge change in the composition of the UK expat community overseas. Over the last five years, the number of young, upwardly mobile workers living...

Recent surveys as to which international retirement havens are the world’s most dangerous have led to renewed focus on Thailand.
The popular tropical destination has been a hub for long-term expats from colder climes ever since it was discovered by backpackers in the 1960s, and is now a favourite for the elderly as well as iwith more...

New findings by a British bank show that at least one third of all UK expat retirees plan to return to the home country at some point.
The recent release of NatWest Bank’s Quality of Life Survey seems to shed a new and depressing light on the expat dream of retiring overseas. Results show that over 33 per cent of the poll’s respondents...

The Mediterranean island of Malta is a British favourite retirement destination for its millennia of history, its natural beauty and its charming, affordable homes in the sun.
If you’re looking to Malta as your retirement haven, you’ll be following in the footsteps of the Romans, Moors, French and British over more than four thousand...

The entire international residential community in Brussels is in a state of shock following the deadly ISIS terrorist attack at the airport and Maelbeek Metro station.
Belgium’s capital city is a hub for expats from across the world due to its status as a major international political centre and home to the Council of the European Union...

Wherever in the world US expats have taken root, and whatever their political preferences, the 2016 presidential primaries have fueled more overseas partisanship and participation than in many past elections.
The reason behind the swell of involvement in taking up expat electoral rights seems to be the unprecedented rise of Republican...

Based online to circumvent French regulations on providing French language content, the newly-launched Expat Radio aims to provide chat and nostalgia to Brits living in France.
Dave Hailwood, the former DJ behind the new venture, plans to lessen loneliness and unite Brits all across the country with his cosy mix of live chat, banter, news,...

Although the UK’s financial industry has been forced to clean up its act as regards mis-selling at home, UK expats across the world are still at risk of losing their pensions and retirement nest eggs.
Although the sheer numbers of pension and investment disasters perpetrated by commission-hungry IFAs in the UK have finally led to a more...

Contrary to the expected uproar from over a million UK expats in Spain over even the possibility of Britain’s quitting the EU, many long-term Brits are going with their gut feelings and voting to leave.
Although the vast majority of Brits living the dream in Spain’s costas haven’t changed their nationalities, a good number have...

According to a recent survey, expats are favouring the Philippines for its friendly local communities and its ‘at home’ ambience.
Whether you’re relocating for work, retirement or just as a change from your country of origin, feeling at home in your chosen host country is a must, especially if English isn’t the native...

Expatriate life in Thailand, once a dream destination for Westerners, is becoming more and more difficult as out of date laws are revived and new visa hurdles erected.
For almost five decades, the beach towns and historic cities of Thailand attracted disenchanted expats from the UK, USA and Europe. Drawn by the endless warm weather,...

UK expats living overseas received a mix of good and bad financial news when the UK’s 2916 budget was unveiled.
The dark clouds hanging over the world economy precluded much in the way of free lunches for any sectors of the UK population wherever they live, but at least the feared spectre of restricting expats’ personal allowances...

In a surprising turnaround from its stance over the past several years, Kuwait has announced improvements in the benefits available to expat teachers in Emirate schools.
The recent initiative to reduce the huge number of expats working in the Emirate and stimulate the jobs market for Kuwaitis seems to have been slammed into reverse gear by...

As the NHS sinks even lower and more restrictions are placed on expats returning to access its services, Spanish healthcare available to expats is evolving to a high standard.
Following the Spanish heathcare system’s ranking higher than the NHS with the World Health Organisation, more and more UK citizens are opting to spend their...

House-hunting expats who’ve recently arrived in Singapore are falling in love with the city-state’s historic ‘black and white’ colonial bungalows.
Reminiscent of Singapore’s colonial history and the British Raj, the spacious, quirky single-storey homes were designed and built in the 1930s in the Tudorbethan style favoured by...

A warning by the UK Pensions Protection Fund that a high number of final salary schemes may be short of necessary funds to pay out amounts due is causing concern amongst UK expats working in the UAE.
Wealth management companies in the Gulf are advising expat clients on the best way to transfer out of occupational pensions which may be at...

Tempestuous times since the 2008 financial meltdown have seen thousands of professionals leave their home countries and head for far-off lands of opportunity.
Redundancies and the related uncertainty hit especially hard in Ireland, with lifestyle solutions for young professionals and their families as far away as the other side of the...

As America ramps up to yet another Presidential election, Australian expats are astonished at both the length of the campaign and the behaviour of would–be Republican candidate Donald Trump.
One Melbourne software engineer now living in California with his wife and daughter is becoming obsessed with the endless coverage of the primaries...

Beating out traditional hot spots such as Hong Kong, the USA and Singapore, the two emirates of Qatar and the UAE give female professionals more income, savings and career opportunities across the board.
According to the 2015 HSBC Expat Explorer survey, the UAE tops Qatar by a small margin for women prioritising financial incentives. Over...

As promised late last week, 94 year-old Harry Schindler, a long-term campaigner for the overturn of the unpopular voting exclusion law, has today instructed lawyers to immediately lodge a complaint with the UK High Court.
It’s expected that the legal proceedings may well hinder government preparations for the referendum, or even delay...

Out of all the UK expats living, working or retiring in favourite regions across the Eurozone, Gibraltar’s residents are facing the most unique scenario should Britons vote to leave the EU.
A surprise announcement by a Spanish Minister has revived the possibility of Spain’s 2002 demand for joint sovereignty over the peninsula being...

International work assignments for Western expats see most expats heading for the USA, India or Switzerland, according to a major relocation specialist company.
International relocation is commonplace nowadays, and is often the first introduction to overseas living for the majority of expat professionals. Settling into a new position in...

Bejing’s traditionally inconvenient visa processing system has been changed for the better via the introduction of shorter approval times and online applications.
Although the online visa application service now provided by China’s Public Security website is, at present, only in Chinese, the new system is being welcomed by expats...

Expat landlords with buy-to-let properties in the UK are now at risk of falling foul of newly introduced rules to be enforced by mortgage lenders.The new borrowing rules set out in the European Mortgage Credit Directive will come in force on March 21, splitting buy-to-let lending into two categories. Landlords who have a registered business...

An Italian expat and his Thai wife have been found dead in the street outside their home in Hang Dong district, Chiang Mai.
According to local police, the Italian expat first shot his wife, then turned the gun on himself after a row about the custody and whereabouts of their eight-year old son. The couple had recently separated, and the...

The recent introduction of online services for Saudi government transactions is proving popular with expats and citizens alike.
Traditionally, obtaining and renewing the essential Iqama permit has been a stressful experience for Singapore’s expat employees across the board. Since the new electronic service was unveiled, it’s been...

Even although prices in the tiny city state have been easing for a while, Singapore has kept its position as the world’s most expensive city.
The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2016 survey of the cost of living in major world cities has confirmed Singapore’s place for the third year in succession as the world’s costliest place to...

A recent ruling handed down from Europe’s highest court confirms that citizens of any one EU member state who emigrate to another state will be denied social welfare benefits for a period of three months after arrival.
According to the European Court of Justice, the ruling covers a three month right-to-reside period after expat arrivals...

Once the choice of only the bravest would-be expats, the past three years have seen Asia head up the list for its retirement options as well as its job opportunities.
Found in countries as diverse as China, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines and Indonesia, the Asian expat community covers all socioeconomic backgrounds....

Phuket-based expat Luke Richmond had a close call during the Row2Rio challenge when a huge cargo ship barrelled towards his team’s rowing boat.
Luke and his three team mates had undertaken the challenge of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean from a base in Portugal to Brazil in order to pay tribute to the world Olympic Games as well as...

The Association of British Expats in Italy has announced it will sue the UK government if the right to vote after living overseas for 15 years is not granted in time for the Brexit referendum.
During the run-up to last year’s General Election, the Conservative Party’s manifesto pledged to bring in a ‘votes for life’ rule for...

As Spain’s property market continues its run of stability, demand by British would-be expats is showing increased growth.
Foreign buyers now account for more than one in every ten properties sold, with expats and non-residents forming the majority of purchasers. Foreign demand rose by 11 per cent during 2015, whilst local demand grew by...

Hardly a week goes by without yet another survey advising potential expats on the best locations worldwide in which to live, work or retire.
Given that the majority of such surveys originate from companies selling expat needs from relocating through property purchase and insurance to the move itself, it’s no wonder that many of the...

A British pensioner living in the Costa del Sol is about to be forced out of her dream retirement home after falling foul of an equity release scam operated on behalf of the Icelandic bank Landsbanki.
Due to a decade of coverage in online and offline media reducing the risk of being scammed, the presence in popular overseas retirement...

As debate over the upcoming Brexit referendum hots up in expat destinations worldwide, UK citizens living in Cyprus are demanding an end to the controversial 15-year rule which limits voting rights.
At present, expats who have lived overseas for more than 15 years are denied the right to vote in general and local elections or...

A new arrival in the endless supply of surveys promoting the best expat havens is championing Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua as hot destinations for a healthy lifestyle.
The traditional image of beer-swilling, beach-lazing expat life doesn’t feature in the latest survey of popular expat destinations. Conducted on behalf of...

Fears of a massive shake-up for expat Brits in the EU’s favourite destinations are dominating discussions about the political and personal ramifications of a Brexit ‘yes’ vote.
Should the result of the June 23 referendum see the rug being pulled from under the feet of those who’ve chosen the good life over staying in the UK, a...

Investors who fell victim to fraudulent financial advisors operating illegally in Thailand’s popular expat destinations are welcoming new criminal complaints filed by the country’s SEC.
Earlier this year, Thailand’s financial regulator took action against illegal foreign IFAs by filing against two British nationals, accusing them of...

A murder investigation has begun after a British expat couple were shot in their Benidorm villa however the issue is causing confusion in the world press.
Pater and Jean Tarsey who were both 77 years old were found dead at 4.15pm on 29 March at their villa in Xalo.
Guests who had come round the couple’s villa for dinner found them on...

Total, the major French oil company, said that all expatriate staff had been evacuated from the Saana and Kharir sites in Yemen even though these sites have not been raided by Saudi-led forces overnight against Houthi Forces.
On Monday, a spokeswomen for Total told Reuters in an email that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure...

As the UK considers an exit from the EU, there is the possibility that the number of properties bought by Brits could plummet.
According to a recent YouGov survey, one in three Brits think that property bought overseas is a risky investment if the UK left the EU.
Finance Expert Jordan Tilley said that although recently the strength of...

When it comes to the treatment of expat labourers, Bahrain is the best in the region according to a top diplomat.
On Friday, Dr Mohan Kumar, India’s Ambassador, spoke at the embassy based in Adliya. The current joint secretary of Indian External Affairs Ministry, Alok Kumar Sinha, will replace Dr Mohan Kumar when his tenure finishes next...

From the year 2009 and 2015, the amount of Spanish people living abroad grew by 48 per cent. Recent figures show that as of the 1st January there were 2,183,043 Spaniards registered on consular lists compared with 1,471,691 six years ago.
The data, which was released by the National Institute of Statistics of Madrid, must not indicate...

On Thursday, the Immigration Department in the Maldives said that expats who came to the country for specific jobs, which were then being illegally transferred for other work, would be penalized. This would also include terminating the permits of employers to bring in expats in the future.
A statement released by the Immigration Department...

An eminent British newspaper recently compiled a list of the “best places to live overseas” and concluded that Adelaide was the winner. The Sunday Times, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, gave pride of place to the “small and perfectly formed” city as the most desirable international destinations. Another contender on the list was...

Paul Andrew Bramley, a 28 year old, was enrolled at César Ritz College’s hospitality and tourism course in Lucerne.
According to UK officials, Mr. Bramley, originally from Hull, England was one of three British passengers flying from Barcelona to Düsseldorf on the Airbus 320. On Tuesday, the plane crashed in the mountainous area in...

Pensioners from the UK who live abroad need to keep up to date with their paperwork or they will risk losing their state pension. Expats over the age of 75 regularly receive forms sent by the Department of Work and Pensions, requesting proof that they are still alive. They only have nine months to complete these forms and return them. If the...

Soon after the doors of the Singaporean High Commission opened, expats from all over the UK gathered to pay their respects. Singaporeans, who are one of the larger expat communities in the UK, took this opportunity to remember Singapore’s first Prime Minister Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.
A steady stream of diplomats and Singaporeans visited the...

A minister from the government said that, from Monday 23rd March, expatriate Sri Lankans would be able gain dual citizenship due to a new administrative procedure. Those able to take advantage of the new procedure will be those who have emigrated to Canada, the UK, the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, France and Switzerland.
On Monday,...

An English Teacher from South Africa was fired from her job at an elementary school in South Korea after it was discovered that she had punished the children for speaking Korean during class by forcing them to drink detergent.
According to Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education officials, the teacher was made to leave her job after parents...

Last week, 37 Cuban migrants were moved to the Immigration Detention Centre after arriving in Cayman Brac.
The migrants’ arrival with no food supplies and a damaged engine sparked an online debate in which the Brac MLA Hon. and House speaker, Juliana O’Connor Connolly, joined the conversation.
Franz Manderson, the Deputy Governor,...

With the support of the Government, a successful immigration fair was hosted in Luxembourg by the Comité de liason des association d’étrangers (CLAE).
Integration was the main theme at this year’s event and the Minister for Family and Integration, Corrinne Cahen, supported the aims of the fair. She said that better integration should...

A Canberra girl’s father is optimistic that she is still alive after Vanuatu was hit by a devastating cyclone. In Febraury, Zoe Marshall went to volunteer on Pentecost Island with the Lattitude organization during her gap year which she had funded herself.
Since Cyclone Pam, which registered as a category 5 cyclone, hit Vanuatu last...

Over 100 Pakistani, Filipino and Indian workers of Mercury Middle East, who took action and went on strike due to not being paid their salaries, have finally been given their wages after diplomats and labor officials intervened.
Gulf Daily News reported that outstanding salaries were paid to the workers, which had been on strike since 28th...

Due to recent exchange rates, this year British citizens are predicted to start buying up even more Spanish property. Last year, compared to any other foreign nationality, more property in Malaga was bought by the British, which helped to cause a 28% rise in sales.
Expats bought 38 per cent of the homes on sale. Over the last two years,...

According to a recent survey, two thirds of pensioners are now less financially well off compared to ten years ago.
Equiniti, a pension payments firm, have looked into how pensions being paid in Sterling compare to other currencies.
With the majority of the firm’s 60,000 clients living in the Eurozone, this is bad news although the...

The fair, named “Expat In the City”, is due to be held in Munich on 22nd March 2015 where it’s hoped that many of the expats in Germany will have their needs addressed.
A variety of exhibitors, such as centers for bilingual children’s daycare, relocation firms, education and language providers, health insurance providers, financial...

A survey has revealed that 66 per cent of French expats are not planning on returning back to France within five years due to the country’s poor economic outlook.
A poll carried out by French firm Humanis said that the expats earned more and had a better quality of life whilst working in a foreign country.
Around 2.5 million French...

The Irish expat teacher, who has already served a sentence for drinking without a license and public obscenity, plans to appeal against his conviction so that he can return to Dubai.
Last April, a Dubai court convicted Conor Hayes, a teacher from Ireland, of public obscenity after they were told that a police officer was given the finger...

A 58-year-old British man has been found dead at his home in Phuket.
At about 3:30pm, police and rescue workers found the dead body of Dennis Arthur New at his home in Srisoonthorn.
Lt Kraisorn from the Thalang Police said to the Phuket Gazette that he believed that Mr New had died 10 hours prior to their arrival and that there were no...

Police charged the 59-year-old Western Australian expat on Wednesday with murder after an incident with a security guard from a popular Patong nightclub close to Soi Bangla on Tuesday night.
Just after midnight, Pendlebury was returning home from a meeting with the Rotary Club when he saw two men being ejected from the Taipan disco by...

Many foreign students hopeful of enrolling in Qatari universities are having to change their plans because of the high costs involved.
Qatar has long since been a destination for expat students to further their education, but in recent times the soaring costs have proven too much for some.
Lebanese expat Um Hussein, whose two sons have...

An expat singer and an expat photographer are set to showcase their talent to citizens of the Iberia country.
Jazz musician Patrick Knowles moved from his adopted home on the Costa del Sol in 1997 in order to take his career to the next stage in the US. He revealed that since he had been Stateside, he and his accompanying band, Swing...

The mother of a British man murdered near the Spanish town of Benalmadena in April 2010 has spoken of the problems she has had in dealing with the Spanish authorities since his death.
Paul Fether, 31, was killed almost five years ago but his mother Beryl revealed that she had received no definite information about what happened to him and...

A 19-year-old New Zealand man has died while diving in Australia after attempting a 30-metre free dive off Queensland’s Moreton Island.
The man, who has been identified as Sam Brown, had been on a diving trip with three friends when the accident occurred at around 7:30am on Saturday morning. It has been reported that he left New Zealand...

A recent survey carried out by InterNations has found one of the happiest place in the world for expats is Mexico, with 91 per cent of respondents saying they were content in their new lives.
Some 14,000 expats in 160 countries were questioned about their lives overseas, with factors such as family, work, personal finance and ease of...

Thirty-five per cent of migrant wives from Southeast Asia and China living in South Korea have admitted that they eventually plan to return to their home countries.
The Korean Women’s Development Institute surveyed a total of 534 migrant wives from China, Vietnam and the Philippines last year and found that 34.5 per cent said they had...

New data shows that Brits in some of the most popular Mediterranean countries to relocate to can get their hands on antibiotics without too many problems.
Greece leads the way when it comes to dishing out prescriptions, with more than 39 daily antibiotic doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day, according to the European Centre for Disease...

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has urged Indonesia to call off the executions of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.
The Australian nationals have been imprisoned in Indonesia for 10 years after being convicted of drug trafficking. The Southeast Asian nation has a strict policy on drugs and the pair are due to be executed by firing...

Although Copenhagen is among the world’s most expensive cities, it also offers one of the highest qualities of life – if you can afford it of course.
Not long after The Economist ranked it as the eight expensive city to live in in the world, it has been named as the ninth best to live in.
The latest Mercer quality of life survey...

Mercer’s Quality of Living survey has ranked Dubai as the number one place to live in the Middle East and Africa – although it came in 74th in the overall list.
It is the third successive year that the Emirate came out on top for the region, according to the international human resources group. However, when all 230 cities that were...

More and more people are looking to emigrate to Costa Rica after retiring with factors such as low cost of living and beautiful surroundings proving major draws among expats.
Four out of the top five destinations for retirement are in either South or Central America, according to the International Living’s 2015 Retirement Index. This...

A large number of Brits over the age of 50 are looking to travel for at least part of the year after regretting not doing so when they were younger.
One in four UK citizens say they would like to live overseas for part of the year, particularly during the cold winter months, while three in four admit that travelling is now top of their...

Santander Bank have been hit with fines totalling £12,4 million by the Financial Conduct Agency for giving bad financial advice to its customers.
After an investigation by the FCA revealed a list of misdemeanors, the high street giant was found to have failed to consider customers’ attitudes to risk when selling their products. In...

Doctors in the United Arab Emirates are advising expat families to give full support to new mothers in order to avoid the risks of post-natal depression. One in ten of new mothers suffer from post-natal depression, with expat families in the UAE being advised to keep a watchful eye out for the symptoms.
The biological changes which take...

In an attempt to compensate for losses to be cuased by the EU’s ban on mobile roaming charges, operators are planning to raise domestic mobile phone charges.
The European Union ban on mobile roaming charges is set to come into force on 15 December 2015, and will prevent huge bills being run up by expats travelling between countries. The...

A recently-released social study has revealed that migrants recently arrived in Australia love their new lives but are experiencing racial discrimination.
The survey, carried out by Monarsh University in Melbourne, found that, although the vast majority of expats are happy to be in Australia, racism does exist in some communities....

Less than a week after George Osborne reinvented the UK’s pensions industry, more than 150,000 clients resigned to being locked into an annuity have pulled out of their deals.
UK and international pension firms are watching in dismay as their cash cows disappear over the horizon, seeking fresh fields and pastures new which allow them...

Due to the high cost of cars, rents, property prices and the state’s strong currency, Singapore is now the most expensive city on the planet.
The annual Worldwide Coast of Living Report released by the Economist Intelligence Unit named Singapore at the top of its latest list of pricey cities. Tokyo, long an unwilling winner in the...

A number of the UK’s largest insurers are refusing to give pension savers extra time to withdraw from rip-off annuity deals or even to get meaningful professional advice.
Whilst a few firms are playing fair by doubling the 30-day window during which annuities can be cancelled, others are giving just a few days and many are sticking to...

Expats across the world are increasingly turning to their local hospitals for medical treatment, in spite of language issues and a lack of family support.
International health insurance companies are confirming the trend and saying it’s down to the serious decline of state medical services in the UK. Rafts of NHS scandals hit the media...

Many of the five million UK citizens living and working overseas may not have heard last week’s Budget allowance that non-residents’ personal tax allowances are to be reviewed.
At present, expats working overseas and pensioners with investments and state and private pensions are allowed an annual income of £10,000 before being taxed...

International schools across the world, started for the purpose of teaching expat children a British curriculum, are now being overrun by local students.
A recent study has revealed that some 80 per cent of places in overseas international schools are being grabbed by wealthy local people for their children. Expat families living and...

As an adjunct to Chancellor George Osborne’s budget announcement, HMRC has set out now rules as regards pensions which will be included in this year’s Finance Bill.
The main focus of the rules is to lower the risk of pension fraud by allowing HRMC to refuse registration of a pension scheme if it considers the administrator is not a...

Uncertainty about the necessity of a Spanish will as well as a British will covering assets still held in the UK is causing controversy in Spain’s expat retirement havens.
Given that a good number of expats living in destinations all over the world don’t have a will in either their home of their host countries, confusion over the issue...

Following the surprise budget announcement that, from April 2015, converting a defined contribution pension to an annuity will no longer be compulsory, retirees who signed up over the last 30 days are rushing to cancel.
Experts estimate that up to 250,000 savers are stampeding to cancel their poor value pensions before the door slams shut...

Britons under the UK’s official retirement ages looking to emigrate to European sunshine destinations are about to lose their entitlement to free health care subsidised by the NHS.
At present, UK migrants under the age of 65 or 60 for women who're migrating to popular destinations in Europe are allowed two and a half years of free...

Counsellors at Lifeline Shanghai, China’s only English-speaking helpline, are reporting that worry over financial security is now a major cause of stress in the expat community.
Launched in 2004, the unique charity’s majority of calls at that time concerned lonely housewives distressed by their cheating husbands. Ten years later,...

As the world hangs on Putin’s every word, expats in the Ukraine’s capital city of Kiev are shocked and angry, but none are making plans to leave.
Expats living and working in Kiev joined a major protest march yesterday in support of democracy amid widespread fury over what is being seen as Russia’s military invasion the Crimea....

For expats and would-be early retirees still in the UK, the news that, from 2015, pension savers will no longer forced to buy annuities in order to draw down their cash is the best to come from Britain’s coalition government since it was elected.
The change followed extensive media criticism of the way annuities are being sold, both by...

A recent survey has revealed a similarity between teenagers in their first jobs and expat pensioners on a spending spree during their first few years of freedom from the daily grind.
Whether expats or pensioners still resident in the UK, the story’s the same, with up to £33,000 wasted during the first five years since employees finally...

As the sad tales of losses due to bad advice soar, a survey has revealed that droves of expats as well as UK-based investors are turning to low-risk options.
Two thirds of investors approached during a recent survey have switched their preference to no- or low-risk products, with only one third willing to consider higher risk portfolios....

A recent study has revealed that new arrivals in Canada with university degrees have less chance of finding suitable jobs than in 1995.
The survey, conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto, analysed the success of immigrant university graduates in finding suitable employment during a ten-year period.
Researchers used data...

The recent news about a Brit expat in Spain's loss of almost all his investment through an FA’s recommendation of a sub-standard fund has persuaded the UK financial watchdog to employ digital specialists to protect investors.
The unfortunate Briton managed with the help of ‘This is Money’ to get most of his savings back from deVere,...

Migration numbers are soaring nowadays, with many who wouldn’t have dreamed of leaving their countries of birth a decade ago now happily established in expat communities across Europe and beyond.
Those who blazed the trail some years ago have learned how to adjust to their new surroundings and get the best out of their new lives, and...

Strengthened sterling as a result of confidence in the UK economy’s recovery and falling currencies in troubled regions of the world have sent would-be UK expats on a bargain-hunting buying frenzy.
Spain and France are at the top of most wish-lists, with the lower end of the Spanish property market still falling and entire abandoned...

British expats living and working in the USA are increasingly angry about increasing delays in issuing new British passports for their dependants or renewals for themselves.
Passport applications for UK expats living in the USA are handled by the British Embassy in Washington, with the normal delay between application and issuing a mere...

Financial forums nowadays are full of complaints about cold-calling, mostly blaming the purchase of consumer listings by scammers, but lead genaration websites can be as much to blame.
There’s nothing more unsettling than receiving a call from an unknown person who seems to know as much as you do about your financial affairs, investments...

Many thousands of Spaniards are now expats in foreign lands, having left to find work during the years since the economic crisis kicked in, but most are hoping for a swift return to their beloved country.
Results of a recent survey have shown that a massive 82 per cent of Spaniards working overseas since 2008 are planning to return home...

Although the FCA is now cracking down on dodgy FAs and property scams in the UK, British pensioners in Thailand are still being cheated out of their savings by unprincipled property agents and unregistered FAs.
Hapless senior citizens who’d planned to retire in a warm, inexpensive country are being ripped off by their own people in...

A major crackdown on so-called health tourism announced yesterday by the UK government is likely to severely affect British expats who need to return to the UK for urgent medical care.
Under the new rules, anyone who arrives in the UK for NHS treatment will be required to pay at a commercial rate yet to be decided. The ban, which will...

A female fraudster based in the UK was jailed recently for stealing over £1,000,000 sterling from her victims via a Turkish property Ponzi scheme.
The scheme involved offering low property purchase prices to retirees looking for a lucrative investment overseas and the chance to own a home in an attractive Turkish beachside location....

Abandoned by their residents who left the Spanish countryside in search of work, entire villages are now for sale at half the price of an average UK home.
Entire charming, if dilapidated, hamlets deep in the Spanish countryside are for sale at prices as low as £50,000 to expats looking to renovate and live the good life. Examples include...

Three financial advisors have been banned and another prohibited from running an FA company for unethical manipulation of pension funds resulting in 4 million in commissions.
The FCA investigation revealed the four had unnecessarily switched their clients’ funds held in six pension schemes in order to generate a massive sum in...

Proposed changes to the law regarding pre-nuptial agreements, once the sole province of the filthy rich or titled, may benefit everyday expats and those planning to emigrate.
Many expats finding themselves in a new country also find themselves with an exotic new wife, but what happens when the marriage begun in heaven descends to hell and...

The arrival of Bitcoins as a unique, online currency seemed to be a boon for expats struggling with exchange rates, with many also using the currency as an investment and watching its value soar.
As with many other good things which come to bad ends, it now looks as though the Bitcoin boom is well and truly over, due to the discovery of...

After a two and a half year battle in the Spanish courts to save their homes, a group of expats in Zahara de los Atunes have been told their wooden properties are to be demolished next week.
The British/Swiss group, all owners at the Costa de la Luz Atlantic Forest Park, are now suing a British developer for a sum of more than a million...

Following the recent announcement of stricter regulations and increased financial guarantees for the emirates’ insurance firms, international companies at the top of the sector’s tree have welcomed the changes.
The raft of new rules introduced by local regulators is expected to force all but half a dozen of the largest players out of...

With emigration for work purposes becoming even more common, it’s important for expats to ensure their company provides adequate healthcare packages.
Most international companies include quality healthcare insurance as an incentive to lure the best of the rest to offshore positions across the world. Would-be expat workers need to make...

Given the shenanigans at present rife in the expat financial advice sector, many offshore savers are worried about the lack of protection should their investments fail.
Better news may be on the way for those whose investments are placed in the Isle of Man with its present lower level of depositor protection. According to the island’s...

UK expats who met and married their partners whilst working overseas are having their lives torn apart by new financially-based spousal UK immigration rules.
The minimum income requirement now mandatory for migrants from outside EU member states was introduced to limit the numbers entering Britain. However, the net result has been that UK...

In a bid to curb pension liberation scams by rogue advisors, the mainstream financial services industry is forming a trade body to regulate QROPS, SIPPS and SaSS transfers.
Made up of lawyers, trustees, trade bodies and providers, the new Pension Liberation Industry Group is to issue a set of standards intended to regulate switches between...

The expat community in Kiev is outraged at Russia’s military push into the Crimea region, with many joining in the protests against the Russian army's presence in the country.
The majority of foreigners living in the Ukrainian capital are fully supportive of the new government and its intention to take the country into the EU. Many took...

Following an investigation on a UK expat saver’s behalf by This is Money.co.uk,
a financial intermediary has admitted advice to the saver in Alicante was wrong and has re-established his lost pension pot.
The unnamed expat had been persuaded in 2010 by a representative of financial intermediary deVere to invest 80 per cent of his...

British pensioners who emigrated to be with grandchildren or for health reasons are being forced to return to the UK because their pensions are frozen in their host countries.
An example of the desperate decisions being taken by many elderly Brits who moved abroad to be with loved ones or to take advantage of warmer weather for their...

Whilst the Cypriot government struggles to prevent capital from fleeing the island, reports suggest they should be concentrating on the likelihood of a mass expat exodus.
Just days after the banking sector meltdown and the EU savings grab, prominent Cypriots living overseas are being deluged by messages from friends and family indicating...

The Kuwait Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour is mulling over suggestions that the emirate should bring in fixed periods of residence for expat workers as well as nationality quotas.
The ministry is responsible for the overseeing of expatriates and marginal personnel in the country, with a committee meeting regularly to discuss the...

British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to announce a widespread crackdown on immigration aimed at discouraging migrants from Bulgaria and Romania.
The new measures follow weeks of alarmist UK media coverage predicting the arrival of a huge number of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria after travel and work restrictions are lifted...

A 60-year old unemployed Donegal man who used to work as a bus driver has received an official letter recommending that he emigrate to Malta and take up a low-waged job.
It seems the rot is spreading from the now defunct UK Border Agency to Irish government employees, although the letter caused hilarity when read out in the Irish...

The troubled UK Border Agency is to be broken up into two separate units after years of serious failures, scandals and a massive backlog.
UK Home Secretary Theresa May announced today that Britain’s immigration authority will be split into two separate sections, one dealing with visas and the other with immigration law enforcement....

According to Canada’s immigration minister Jason Kenney, the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa is growing in popularity.
Statistics suggest that more and more parents and grandparents are choosing to spend longer visits to their loved ones in Canada, with approval rates for applicants now at 86 per cent. At present, over 1,000 of the...

After its closure for a year, Canadian Immigration’s Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP) is due to reopen on 4 May.
Announcements as to priority occupations, listings of designated assessment organisations and caps on applicant numbers are expected during April. Popular occupation caps are expected to be filled within days of their...

Expat workers leaving the emirate will now be able to clear unpaid loans and credit at the airport’s electronic cash register.
Dubai’s laws forbid international travel for those who have unpaid credit cards or loans, with many expats unable to leave for even short home visits unless they first clear all their debts. A number have been...

The deposit guarantee brought in by the Irish government four years ago to protect savers and investors is about to be withdrawn as it’s felt that the banks are now stable.
Known as the Eligible Liabilities Guarantee Scheme, the deposit protection is due to end on 28 March. Its closure will affect anyone with deposits in the Bank of...

As part of tougher immigration laws, the UK Border Agency is planning to make immigrant workers and students from as yet undetermined high-risk countries lodge cash bonds before entry.
The measure is intended to make sure immigrants on temporary visas don’t become overstayers and simply disappear, and there are calls to extend the plan...

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Ministry is preparing to launch a campaign warning its nationals to beware of being caught by would-be migrants seeking an easy way to get into the country.
Marriage fraud is an increasing problem both for the spouse who was duped into the marriage and for immigration, and the numbers unwittingly...

The New Zealand city of Christchurch remains a ‘tale of two cities’ following the devastating 2011 earthquake which destroyed its city centre.
Although rebuilding efforts are getting underway despite a skills shortage in the construction industry, the city will never be the same again and its heart is still enclosed in a ‘red...

The UK Border Agency has made its perhaps most embarrassing mistake ever when it forbade a British citizen leave to bring his new Canadian wife to the UK as ‘her husband is not a British citizen’.
Craig Colville is one of a pair of twins born in North Wales. His identical twin brother, Scott, has never had a problem with proving his...

Even although the Cypriot parliament unanimously rejected the EU and ECB’s attempted savings grab, the crisis is continuing, with expats across the EU fearing for their savings.
With Russian interest in bailing out the bank of Cyprus in return for permission to explore the recently-discovered natural gas deposits now on the back burner,...

In another controversial UAE move against expat workers. Kuwait is to freeze the issuing of work permits to overseas labour and plans to reduce the number of expat workers by over a million.
According to the Kuwaiti Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, Thekra al-Rasheedi, the move is intended to reduce the number of expats taking...

Over the past year, reports of financial scams perpetrated on expats have become big news in the online forums of many favourite expat havens.
Spain is the latest country to hit the headlines, with its expat forums buzzing with gossip about unprincipled financial advisors preying on new arrivals with offers which seem to good to be true....

Just one day after he had insisted that the savings accounts of British troops based in Cyprus would not affected by the EU’s savings grab, Treasury Minister George Osborne has enaged on his promise.
Servicemen and women will only now be compensated for ‘reasonable losses’ if their savings are connected with their military service...

The sharp drop in the number of fee-paying overseas students applying for study visas in New Zealand is being blamed on the perceived poor quality of the country’s education providers.
Spokesman for the NZ Labour Party Raymond Huo has caused consternation in the sector by putting the decline in application squarely on the shoulders of...

Local Chinese residents living in and around Shanghai’s nightlife hub of Yongkang Road declared war last week on noisy, drunken expats accused of disturbing the peace.
Shanghai is China’s most popular destination for expat workers, with over 150,000 living in the city at present. The frustrations of the local citizens of the former...

With the Greek government still under major pressure from the EU, it’s no surprise that a property rental and sales tax on Greek real estate may be levied on migrant Greeks in Australia.
Greek lawmakers are brushing aside the double tax agreement between the two countries by floating the idea of taxing income from rental homes and the...

An investigation by the Saudi Council of Engineers has uncovered the disturbing fact that more than 15,000 expat engineers working mainly in the construction industry are holding fake degree certificates.
The news has caused a backlash by Saudi Arabian internet users accusing the council of reducing what they see as a major scandal to...

Malaysian owner of a construction business Chang Yee Seng had overstayed for 10 years before Immigration New Zealand tracked him down.
Chang arrived in New Zealand in 2003 on a visitor visa, and is claiming he became an overstayer due to incorrect immigration advice. His construction business, Reaplite Industries, employed two...

The FSA unregulated overseas property sales agent firm being investigated by the Serious fraud squad has agreed a substantial out of court settlement to end a class action by disgruntled investors.
Thousands of investors are believed to have put money into the scheme, which involved a 30 per cent deposit on off-plan luxury properties in...

As inflation rises in most countries favoured as expat destinations, sterling fluctuations are affecting the amount of local currency in expat pockets.
Sterling is now weaker than at any time in the past year, with the threat of a triple-dip recession in the UK, economic uncertainty across the EU and the recent downgrading of the...

While it’s obvious from online forums that unscrupulous financial advisors preying on newly-arrived expats isn’t just a Spanish problem, expats in the sunny destination are among the first to speak out in warning.
British retirees are especially at risk, with many arriving in their chosen countries and immediately joining up with expat...

A tactic which worked well for those against immigration reform in 2006 is about to be tried again by opponents of the latest reform bill.
With the nation glued to every turn and twist of the immigration reform negotiations, it’s unsurprising that those against legislation which allows illegals to claim citizenship should turn to...

A recent survey of just under 2,000 Canadians revealed that 70 per cent of respondents are in favour of tougher immigration rules.
The survey, carried out by Forum Research, seems to have logged on to Canadian nationals’ fears that migrants will take jobs intended for Canadian workers. The results indicate that slowing down the flow of...

A combination of the high New Zealand dollar rate, the world-wide recession and the 2011 Christchurch earthquake have hit the country’s export education industry hard since 2009.
Numbers of international students applying for New Zealand student visas have dropped by 25 per cent over the last three years with approvals in 2012, the...

One of the most exciting aspects of emigrating is the thought of a new home in attractive surroundings at a bargain price compared with property in the home country.
However, with dodgy property deals everywhere from Europe to the Caribbean and Asia hitting the headlines, how are you to avoid your dream becoming a nightmare? Mis-selling...

A group of influential Kuwaiti lawmakers are calling on the emirate’s government to cancel the subsidies given to expats for essential services such as water and electricity.
The group claims the government is no longer able to afford to continue the scheme.The move, if successful, will mean an average monthly bill for a small apartment...

The seemingly unavoidable ‘Dubai Stone’ – the amount of weight the average expat puts on during his or her first year in the emirate – has been seen as a rite of passage for newbies.
Obesity specialists, however, aren’t treating it as a joke – they’re warning of severe health effects. Most new arrivals believe the active...

Expats getting over the shock of unknowingly eating horsemeat in Portuguese supermarket ready meals now have another issue to worry about.
French supermarket Auchan’s Portuguese outlets have been selling burgers and meatballs not only containing horsemeat but also showing traces of the drug phenylbutazone. The painkilling drug, known to...

Many UK expats working abroad intend to return home after their contracts end, but are unable to do so due to banks and building societies refusing their mortgage applications.
Mortgage brokers are snowed under with applications from expat workers wishing to buy into a UK home once their contracts are finished. Enquiries have doubled due...

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office is now investigating Essex-based Harlequin Group regarding its marketing of high-end Caribbean villas linked with a self-investing personal pension product.
Harlequin’s business was not regulated by the Financial Services Authority, which is now writing to all UK FAs requesting the details of any client...

New rules introduced to target tax evasion will affect expats with homes in Spain and investments or savings held overseas.
Residents have been given until the end of April to declare their domestic and overseas assets worth over £44,000 or face punitive fines for non-compliance. Bank accounts, shares, other investments, life insurance...

A 52 year-old British citizen recently returned from three years living in France is being denied job seeker allowance and other income-related benefits.
Homeless Jane Carter moved to France to live her dream just over three years ago, but, sadly, the dream turned sour and forced her to return to the UK to find a job and start her life...

The controversial Saudi Arabia financial penalty levy on firms employing more expats than local workers appears to be here to stay.
The generally unpopular tax was introduced in November 2012, and has been the subject of controversy and meetings between government ministries ever since. Introduced as part of the kingdom’s move towards...

The recently announced move to force Saudi Arabia’s expatriate employees to retire at the age of 60 us set to cause as much controversy in the kingdom as the expat tax.
Following on an announcement that the controversial Saudi Arabia expat worker levy is here to stay, the latest plan by the Ministry of Labour is likely to cause at least...

A move by Immigration New Zealand to cut the mental health nursing category from the long-term skills shortage list is causing concern in the sector.
According to Marilyn Head, policy analyst for the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO), Christchurch has been experiencing a critical shortage of mental health professionals since the...

Following the UK economy’s downgrading by Moody’s to AA1, the Isle of Man’s treasury minister has announced a 3 per cent growth in its economy during 2012.
Rated by Moody’s at AAA and by Standard and Poor’s at AA+, the island’s 2013 economy is expected to grow at 2.8 per cent this year, with unemployment remaining at around 2.6...

Following on the success of Canada’s Irish-Canadian Immigration Centre, Moving2Canada is introducing a job-search agency to connect Irish would-be immigrants with Canadian employers.
The service will be aimed at migrants over the age of 35 and families who are ineligible for the Working Holiday one-year visa and need to secure employment...

Following a surprise shuffle of the New Zealand government’s cabinet ministers, new immigration minister Michael Woodhouse praised the department’s new initiatives.
Former minister Nathan Guy was replaced by Woodhouse in mid-February, with his first official occasion taking place in Christchurch where he gave a speech to the city’s...

As reported by the Daily Mail, in the fifth attack on wealthy expatriates in Algarve, Portugal, this month, raiders tied up and beat two UK pensioners in their £8 million villa.
The robbers tied up the aged couple, who are both into their 70s, with tape and bludgeoned the husband on the head using a golf club. The attackers then rummaged...

As reported by the Telegraph, The legal market in Hong Kong has become extremely competitive with a great deal of lucrative business arriving from mainland China. Accounting issues with US-listed Chinese firms and anti-bribery efforts have kept attorneys in the ex British colony quite busy.
However, the law sector is no longer controlled...

As reported by the BBC, A fifteen-year-old UK national has died as a result of falling off the balcony of a Dubai building. Harry Harling, who was originally from Surrey, is believed to have suffered fatal blows after falling from the 11th floor.
Harling reportedly moved to the UAE with his family about nine years ago. The teenager’s...

As reported by the Guardian, the United Kingdom has asked China to look into the mysterious death of a UK businessman with links to the family of Bo Xilai, an ousted Chinese leader.
The sudden death of Neil Heywood at a Chongqing hotel last November, which was blamed on alcohol consumption, was shocking to those close to the reportedly...

As reported by the Telegraph, economic advisers say that, due to the implementation of new tax brackets, 2013 will be crucial for the financial planning of expat Britons. Reductions to tax allowances for Britons over the age of 65 have been a big talking point in this year’s Budget, with wide-reaching effects for United Kingdom residents...

As reported by the Telegraph, Ernst & Young has re-instituted its office in the British Virgin Islands, as the company believes the territory will get stronger and stronger in the financial sector this year.
The Financial Stability Board (FSB) reported at the end of 2011 that the BVI demonstrated "sufficiently strong...

As reported by International Advisor, over 500,000 British expats who have retired overseas are not receiving their full pensions, say figures released by the UK government. The report was published by Lord Freud, government welfare minister, in response to Liberal Democrat peer Lord Jones.
The figures indicate that 555,650 pensioners are...

As reported by the Daily Mail, many British expats living in New Zealand may soon experience a shortage in Marmite on their supermarket shelves.
Production of the yeast extract, which has been manufactured for many decades in Christchurch, was suspended because one of the plant towers was damaged by the 2011 earthquake. The factory has...

As reported by The National, new rules in Dubai will be making it easier to transport dogs and cats to the UK, reducing the amount of pets abandoned by British expats, say animal welfare groups.
Since the British government changed its quarantine regulations in January, many pet relocation companies have noticed a rise in the number of...

As reported by the Irish Times, most emigrants who have left during the past few years have reported they are happier living abroad than in Ireland, says an Ipsos MRBI survey. An overwhelming majority said their quality of life improved after moving overseas, including having a healthier diet and taking more exercise.
When asked to reveal...

As reported by the Bangkok Post, a shortage in English-language schools in Hong Kong is deterring expat families and undermining the city's image as a regional business hub, say parents and lobby groups.
Many foreign business professionals moving to Hong Kong are now deciding to leave their children behind due to a shortfall in primary...

As reported by MENA, Middle East-based expatriates are being urged to encourage their friends and relatives to not miss out on what is expected to be a very exciting year for Great Britain.
As the Olympic Games, which will take place 27 July - 12 August, and the Paralympic Games, scheduled for 29 August - 9 September, loom closer, the...

As reported by This Is Money, hundreds of foresaken British victims of collapsed Icelandic bank Landsbanki face the danger of losing their homes following a long legal battle. Some are pensioners living in Spain who are in a desperate court fight to prevent their homes from being taken by the liquidators of Landsbanki , which failed in 2008....

According to UKPA, a UK man has been killed after falling off a balcony while hiding from alleged car thieves at the house of his girlfriend, a Kenyan top fashion model. Thirty-seven-year-old Charlie Grieves-Cook fatally injured himself after plunging from multiple storeys from the apartment of Diana Sifuna, said British expats.
Moments...

As reported by Stuff, a couple from Cromwell report feeling upset and angry when an Immigration New Zealand mix-up made them worried that they needed to leave the country.
Kay and Trevor Johnson, who are British immigrants holding permanent New Zealand residency cards, said the saga began when their daughter Anneka sent in applications...

As reported by The Irish Examiner, the Working Abroad Exposition, which is due to launch in Cork tomorrow, was forced to cancel online ticket sales due to an unprecedented volume of demand. The expo, which aims to help people find jobs overseas, decided to stop advertising and cancel online tickets after learning lesions from the Dublin...

As reported by Trade Arabia, expatriates in Bahrain have expressed displeasure over new visa regulations which have brought about a crackdown on overseas visitors and led to many long detentions before being let into the country or sent back on return flights.
This follows an announcement by the Interior Ministry on February 13 which said...

As reported by Gulf News, many British expats say that customer service in the UAE are not as good as in the UK while many expats from developing countries are more satisfied, reveals a new customer service report.
About 86% of British respondents said that UAE customer service was worse than in Britain, according to Capita, the UK-based...

As reported by The Telegraph, the UK’s foreign-currency brokers have reported a shocking amount of funds being converted back into the British pound from overseas. Meanwhile, overseas property firms have seen British buyers avoiding the normally popular Mediterranean nations of Spain, Portugal, Italy and France.
Reasons vary depending...

As reported by Inside Ireland, a minimum of 6,000 Irish workers are due to emigrate to Canada in 2012 as a result of a Western Canadian delegation’s recruitment drive in the country earlier this week.
The demand is now very strong for certain skills, as Canada is now in competition with Australia over Irish workers, says the delegation...

As reported by The Telegraph, James Preston, the UK expatriate whose efforts to pressure the Government to grant him a vote in general elections were recently overruled by judges, has been denied permission to appeal.
Mr Preston, who is a fund manager from Leicester, attempted to challenge the High Court last year over the ban on...